


The One Time

by insominia



Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-10 04:43:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4377638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insominia/pseuds/insominia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four times Boone didn't kiss her, and one time he did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One Time

**The First Time**

The cave systems of the Mojave were natural landmarks Boone could have done without seeing. The close knit caverns did not lend themselves well to sniping, and he didn't feel particularly comfortable fighting hand to hand, or knife to vicious jaw, as it had been earlier, when they disturbed a brood of coyotes simply by entering the caves. The courier on the other hand loved them, though for reasons that didn't make a whole lot of sense to him. ' _Think of what you might find_!' she'd exclaimed, the first time he had asked her why she insisted on exploring these usually fruitless systems. Her answer shed little light on the problem given that they tended to find something wanting to kill them more than they found something they could use, or sell. But Six enjoyed them and she didn't enjoy much since the bullet in her brain robbed her memory, so he was content to accompany her and only grumble a little when the occasion warranted it.

Which was how he found himself giving her a boost to a particularly unstable ledge, against his better judgement. She was adamant she'd seen something catching what little light her pip-boy generated and wanted to take a look. Boone helpfully offered out his clasped hands and she had slipped her foot onto them as naturally as any maneuver they pulled together. "Looks like...oh...just an empty bottle," she called, dejectedly. She would have climbed down naturally, but the ledge shook and crumbled, causing her to fall backwards. Her cry of surprise, more than fear, was abruptly silenced as she fell straight down into the sniper's arms. In a scene reminiscent of some of the pre-war stuff Carla had read, Boone caught her, her arms naturally falling around his neck as he moved to protect her from the shower of pebbles she'd disturbed.

The dust cleared to reveal the courier still laying in his arms as though she had just swooned into them. Her face was close to his, _too close_ , he thought. He could feel her light breath coming in quick gasps on his lips. If he leaned in just a little... her eyes were wide, almost as though she were imploring him. _Just a little_ , he thought. He closed his eyes and set her down on her feet, helping to dust her off, as though the touch of her weren't inspiring a number of indecent thoughts in his mind. Her expression was unreadable, and the thanks she gave lacked any kind of warmth as they moved off, carrying on their exploration of that godforsaken place.

 

**The Second Time**

"I love you, Boone," Six said, in earnest. The sniper rolled his eyes, the sentiment he appreciated, though it might have meant more had she not put away enough whisky to floor a mother deathclaw. "I _really_ love you," he caught her as she moved to hug him, falling spectacularly from her stool in doing so.

"She's had enough," Francine Garrett's stern voice rang out, "you wanna get her out of here?"

Boone didn't argue, Six looked a shade of green that suggested they could be banned if she stayed any longer. He slung her over his shoulder and started the trek back to the '38, unable to suppress a half smile when she burst into a particularly terrible rendition of _Johnny Guitar_.  
By the time he lowered her, gently, onto her bed, she'd asked him to marry her at least twice, told him he was the 'best' numerous times and made repeated, flattering comments about his overall appearance and demeanor. He leaned over her to fluff up her pillows and covered her with a blanket. "Boone?" she said, in a very different voice to the one that described him as ' _sex on legs with a beret,_ ' a few minutes earlier. Her fingers clumsily traced the line of his jaw, "I'm really glad you're here."

She inclined her head ever so slightly, but it was enough to form an invitation. Sighing gently, Boone moved to kiss her, hell if it ended badly she wouldn't remember it anyway. Her eyes fluttered closed as she waited for their lips to meet.

They never did.

Suddenly she groaned, and pushing him away she threw up over the floor beside the bed. Boone was still, his body still hunched, waiting for the kiss that would never come as Six emptied the considerable contents of her stomach onto the carpet, before thudding down on the pillows, snoring unattractively. His eyes looked from the courier to the stained floor and with a heavy sigh, he moved to find the abraxo.

 

**The Third Time**

The thing about having time alone to your thoughts is that it required silence to work effectively. For Boone's part that wasn't a problem. For Six, lying beside him, chuckling annoyingly at regular intervals at a book she had found on a shelf somewhere in the house, it seemed to be more of a challenge.  
During a burst of particularly intense laughter Boone rolled over to confront her, and instantly regretted it. There wasn't much room in the only bed in the abandoned house they'd occupied, even though it was a double. Normally they wouldn't have shared, but so rare was it that they came across an _actual_ bed, it seemed criminal to resign the sniper to the sofa. Now faced with Six right up beside him and wearing that _bloody_ nightwear she'd found, Boone suddenly felt that the sofa might have been a better idea.

"Listen to this," she laughed, mistaking his attention, "his lips met hers in a chaste kiss, but their passion refused to be bound by such limitations and soon virtue was thrown to the winds, and their tongues met in a feverish, tangled dance of devotion." Still laughing she set the book aside and finally settled down into the bed, in a movement far too domestic for Boone's liking. Satisfied she would be quiet, he closed his eyes.

"Boone?" she murmured. He opened his eyes to find himself staring straight into hers, the proximity made him flinch. She didn't notice. "Do you remember your first kiss?"

He frowned, "go to sleep, Six."

"Do you?"

A sigh, "yeah."

"Was it anything like the book?"

"No. Go to sleep, Six."

She sighed gently, he felt the wisp of breath caress his face, "I wish I could remember mine...if there ever was one."

Was that an invitation? It sounded like one. And the way she nipped at her bottom lip was provoking a rather strong feeling in Boone's groin.

"Go to sleep, Six."

 

**The Fourth Time**

"Thumbs down, you son of a bitch," Boone snarled, placing the barrel of his rifle to the gasping Caesar's head. He pulled the trigger. It was messy, it was overkill, but it was as satisfying as he had dreamed it to be.  
The sniper's face and clothes were splattered with the man's blood not to mention bits of his skull, and fragments of his brains, but he didn't care. The commotion outside had died down. Boone didn't know if it was because the courier had picked off the remaining Legion or if they had picked off her. He expected the latter, he had expected to die. Killing Caesar was everything he had hoped it to be, but he had not ruled out the notion that he was going to get blown to pieces the moment he left the tent.

He took a deep breath and stepped through the flap. There were no legionaries to greet him, those that had guarded the tent lay dead on the ground.

Everything was silent.

"Six?" he called. He had fought his way to Caesar, the camp had been a hive of activity as he had done so, now his voice bounced around him, the fort eerily devoid of life. " _Six_?!"

For a moment he thought she'd been killed. He had survived, but she was gone, bitter recompense for all his mistakes. But the hurried footfalls and the desperate, "Boone?!" that met his ears told him otherwise. She rounded a corner and paused at the sight of him, "holy...you did it?"  
Boone nodded, he had done it. _He had done it_. He'd walked through the very heart of the Legion operations, killed their leader and...survived? He had not expected that last part. He'd thought to die when Six and he faced down the party at Bitter Springs, but he hadn't. He'd thought to die here...but here he was. Maybe, he thought, maybe the universe wasn't out to get him after all. What had she said after the attack? ' _No one is judging or punishing you..._ '

Relief spread through him, palpable, pure relief and for the first time he smiled at the courier. _Really_ smiled.

"You did it," she said, breathlessly, "we did it!" She let out a whoop of celebration and threw herself into his arms, though he had to drop his rifle to catch her.

He smirked, "that was some kind of stunt we pulled." She leaned back, beaming into his face. All he need do was reach out and she would be his. He almost did too, but for a moment, and just a moment, he thought of Carla, and still smiling, he released Six and picked up the rifle.

He may have started to lay his memories to rest but he wasn't quite there yet.

 

**The one time**

"Boone?" Six shivered, "Boone, you there?!"

A strong hand wrapped around hers, gently pressing it in reassurance, "I'm here, you're ok," her companion's gruff voice assured her. The courier's distinctly sallow looking skin was covered in a thin sheen of sweat as she trembled against him. He pressed a bottle of purified water to her lips, "you're going to be ok," he soothed, "you'll be ok."

"Should've brought some anti-venom huh?" she stuttered, attempting and failing to laugh.

He ignored her, continuing to whisper reassurances, "you're alright. You'll feel better in the morning. The worst is over."  
As though to prove him wrong she groaned, loudly and started convulsing against him. He drew her across his lap and held her tightly until the spasms faded and she settled for a violent shaking instead.

She kept her eyes firmly closed, her teeth tightly gritted, her whole body held rigid as though she could fight the poison through self determination alone. Boone checked the time on her pip-boy and administered another stimpak. They had a stock of those at least. She relaxed as the drug rapidly worked its way through her system and her body settled in his arms, her shakes subsiding into gentle trembling.

He took in the disturbingly yellow taint of her skin, the film of sweat and the distinct tear track from one eye, though she would swear blind it was just watering. Almost instinctively he held her that little bit tighter and with little thought he leaned in, pressing his cool lips to her clammy forehead and leaving there a lingering kiss.


End file.
